Following a mailer criticizing Councilmember Eric Ulrich for associating with Democratic and gay politicians, Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani today will endorse the senate hopeful on the eve of the Republican primary for State Senate District 15.
Friends of Juan Reyes — the campaign for Ulrich’s opponent — has sent out several mailers leading up to the election that took shots at friends of the councilmember and his support from the state Republican Party. The mailer’s content alleged Ulrich had liberal leanings since being elected to City Council, and hired gay staff members.
A media advisory from the Ulrich campaign said Giuliani “will strongly condemn the scorched-earth attacks.”
Ulrich’s current chief of staff in the City Council is Rudy S. Giuliani, a second cousin of the former mayor.
Reyes has touted during his campaign that he was a Giuliani aide during the former mayor’s second term in office. During that time, Reyes worked in different legal positions, but some have said Reyes was virtually an unknown in close circles.
Reyes, however, alleged in a statement that the Republican Party was pressuring the former mayor to endorse Ulrich.
“I respect Rudy Giuliani,” Reyes said, “and I know the intense pressure he has been under from the party leaders to endorse Ulrich.”
